Mirza Ghulam Ahmad declares the son of Al-Askari to be dead.

Mirza Ghulam Ahmad writes:

إن كنتم في شك من أمري ولا تنظرون نور قمري وتزعمون أن المهدي الموعود والإمام المسعود يخرج من بني فاطمة لإطفاء فتن حاطمة ولا يكون من قوم آخرين فاعلموا أن هذا وهم لا أصل له ولا نصل له

“If you doubt my matter and do not see the light of my moon and claim that the promised Mahdi and joyful Imam will come forth from the children of Fatimah to remove the destructive temptations and he will not come forth from other people, then know that this is a delusion that has neither a hand nor a foot.” [Sirr-ul-Khiladfah, page 86]

أما ما قيل أن المهدي مختف في الغار فهذا قول لا أصل له عند ذوي الأبصار وهو كمثل قولهم أن عيسى لم يمت بل رفع بجسمه إلى السماء وينزل عند خروج الدجال والفتنة الصماء مع أن القرآن يخبر عن وفاته ببيان صريح مبين فالحق أن عيسى والإمام محمد أطرحا عنهما جلابيب أبدانهم وتوفاهما ربهما وألحقهم بالصالحين وما جعل الله لعبد خلدا وكل كانوا من الفانين ولا تعجب من أخبار ذكر فيها قصة حياة المسيح ولا تلتفت إلى أقوال فيها ذكر حياة الإمام ولو التصريح وإنها استعارات وفيها إشارات للمتوسمين

“As for what is said about (Muhammad) Al-Mahdi disappearing into a cave, this has no hand or foot for those who use their minds and it is similar to their claim that Jesus did not die but was lifted up to heaven with his body and comes down when the Antichrist appears and there is constant temptation, although the Qur’an clearly states his death. In truth, Jesus and Imam Muhammad (Al-Mahdi) removed their physical sheaths and their Lord let them die and joined the righteous and God did not grant everlasting life to any servant (21: 34) and all of them were among those who perished and just do not be impressed by the traditions that narrate that Christ is alive and do not pay attention to the statements that the Imam (Al-Mahdi) is alive, even if it is clearly stated, because they are only metaphors and in them are signs for the insightful. ” (15:75) [Sirr-ul-Khilafah, page 69]

أظن أن بعض الأئمة من أهل بيت النبوة قد ألهم من حضرة العزة أن الإمام محمدا قد اختفى في الغار وسوف يخرج في آخر الزمنان لقتل الكفار وإعلاء كلمة الملة والدين فهذا الخيال يشابه خيال صعود المسيح إلى السماء ونزوله عند تموج الفتن الصماء والسر الذي يكشف الحقيقة وبين الطريقة هو أن هذه الكلمات ومثلها قد جرت على ألسنة الملهمين بطريق الاستعارات فهي مملوة من لطائف الإشارات

“I suspect that God has revealed to some imams of the people of the House of the Prophet that Imam Muhammad (Al-Mahdi) disappeared in a cave and he will come out in the end times to kill the disbelievers and let the confession of the nation and religion prevail, but this is an illusion, which resembles the illusion of the ascension of Christ and his descent when the persistent temptations cause ripples, and the mystery that reveals the truth and the clear path is that these words and those of their kind came forth as metaphors from the tongues of those to whom it was revealed. Therefore, they are full of insinuating parables.” [Sirr-ul-Khilafah, page 74]

Comment:

Since the founder of the Ahmadiyyah saw himself as the Christ and the Mahdi and knew that Muslims believe in both of them, he tried to take their place by declaring them dead and himself as the Saviour.